Did you ever write a dull essay? I wrote dry essays?memorizing a PhD math proof on the first day of calculus seemed more thrilling.

But what if you loved writing essays? Passionately? Loved reading them over and over like love letters from your lifelong crush? Well, you can find the love?like an actor. The best actors find the love in even their arch enemies. Yes, the best actors soul-search for love in even the darkest of scenes.

By finding the love in your essays, your readers feel your passions, thrills, dreams. Instant engagement. And by inking that love on your paper, your grades soar. Better yet, essay-writing will feel like skydiving into a giant chocolate fondue framed with fresh berries.

Michael Shurtleff in his book Audition spells out secrets of acting?including falling in love (in bold below). I help you love your studies.

If late for an audition, tell the director a prior audition tied you up. Similarly, if late with a paper or an online class, tell the prof a prior school obligation tied you up. (Actors tell lies well.)

If a director tells you to change your act, don’t start from scratch?simply add. Did your prof tell you to rewrite the final draft of your thesis from scratch? (A true story!) Don’t scrap your entire thesis, sobbing while gobbling Oreos. Simply add the prof’s suggestions to what you’ve already got.

Find deep love within yourself for all the scene’s characters?even your enemies. Love the people you cite, whether opponent’s views or proponent’s views. And never dismiss an author’s idea as silly. Instead, dismiss the idea as silly?with a deep desire to dine with the author in candlelight for more insight.

Start the scene with deep love, and let that love deepen. On page one, love the characters you profile in your papers. On page one, also love the people you cite. And make a tidal wave of obsession that springs up in your first sentence. Tsunami that conclusion!

In each scene, ask “what dream am I fighting to realize?” Many authors feel passionate about their topics. Find that passion and breathe it in your writing. And what are your dreams? Tie your lifelong dreams into your topic. Fight for your dreams through your themes and arguments. Be creative.

Be both loving and furious in tense scenes. For instance, swear while softening your voice. If you’re callous toward an author’s view, do so with admiration. If you think Socrates was nuts, think of him as a troubled genius.

Use opposites: I can’t live without you; I can’t live with you. Here lies ambivalence. If you can write two opposing views in the same point, do so. For instance, write that Socrates idealized his own unheroic death. (But support your view.) Opposites create intrigue.

So, do you love writing essays? If not, wear a mask and seek the love. A paradox? I call it a Creative Spark!